Walker with a standing and suspension device

ABSTRACT

A walker which allows walking under the user&#39;s own power, in which the overall height of the walker is greater than the height of the user&#39;s body, the user is lifted to his feet and held in a standing position by an extremely easy-to-use parachute harness when the user&#39;s body is suspended from a point above the user&#39;s head, and the height of the parachute harness is freely adjusted by the suspension device, so that the user can walk by causing his foot to contact the ground with an appropriate pressure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a walker that allows walkingunder the user's own power.

[0003] 2. Prior Art

[0004] In the past, there have been walkers for the purpose of recoveryof the walking function in adults. However, in most of these walkers,the user walks while supporting his body on the walker with both arms.

[0005] Persons who cannot support their bodies means, to put itconcretely, persons who are paralyzed on the left (or right) side of thebody, persons with spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy, persons whofeel the decline of muscular strength all over because of longtimebedridden live, and so on. For such persons who are paralyzed on theleft (or right) side so that they cannot support their bodies in astanding position under their own power, training in walking using suchwalkers is virtually impossible. As a result, such persons remainbedridden and continue to suffer a weakening of the body. After this, asa typical example, persons who are paralyzed on the left (or right) sideare taken for the explanation.

[0006] In another type of device, the user is trained in walking withhis/her body suspended by a hoist. However, the walking range of suchdevices is limited, and the user cannot freely walk over a broad range.

[0007] In still another type of walker, the user can walk while theuser's body is held by a harness. However, such walkers suffer fromproblems. Raising his/her body to a standing position prior to walkingis conspicuously difficult for persons who are paralyzed on one side (onthe left or right side) of the body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention solves the above-described problems.

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide a walker forpersons who cannot support themselves with both of their arms or whocannot stand up by themselves, and the present invention allows walkingunder the user's own power, in which the overall height of the walker isset to be greater than the height of the user's body, the user is heldin a standing position by an extremely easy-to-use parachute harnesssuspended by an overhead suspension device.

[0010] The user is lift to his feet slowly by the suspension device andthen held in a standing position and given an appropriate pressure onhis foot so that the user can walk (or can walk for the purpose oftraining).

[0011] In the above structure, the height of the parachute harness canbe freely adjusted by the suspension device, so that the user can walkby causing his foot to contact the ground with an appropriate pressure.

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention provides a walker that allowswalking under the user's own power, and in the walker of the presentinvention, a walker main body is higher than the body height of theuser, a parachute harness is suspended via a suspension device from theupper part of the walker main body, and the height of the parachuteharness is adjusted by the suspension device.

[0013] In the above structure, the suspension device is a winch or leverhoist and is operated manually or electrically.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the walkeraccording to the present invention;

[0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the suspension device used in thepresent invention; and

[0016]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the parachute harness used in thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The preferred embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] The walker of the present invention that allows walking under theuser's own power is characterized by the fact that a walker main body 1is designed so as to be higher than the body height of the user, and aparachute harness 3 is suspended via a suspension device 2 from theupper part of the walker main body 1. The height of the parachuteharness 3 is adjustable by the suspension device 2.

[0019] Casters 1 a are installed on the bottom parts of the walker mainbody 1 so that movement in all directions, i.e., front-back, left-right,etc., is possible. It is preferable that the casters I a are equippedwith stoppers.

[0020] The height of the walker main body 1, that is a framework of, forinstance, metal pipes, with an empty space inside, is set so that aparachute harness 3 is suspended via the suspension device 2 from apoint that is higher than the body height of an adult. The center ofgravity of the walker main body 1 is set to be high. Accordingly, it isnecessary to form the walker main body 1 in a shape that has stability.For example, the lower half of the walker main body 1 is spread.

[0021] The suspension device 2 suspends the parachute harness 3 that isattached to the body X of a user, and the suspension device 2 adjuststhe height of the parachute harness 3. Accordingly, the suspensiondevice 2 is designed so as to be durable and easily operable. Inconcrete terms, a small winch or lever hoist is suitable for thesuspension device 2. The suspension device 2 is operated manually or byan electrical device.

[0022] For the parachute harness 3, a harness of commercially marketedparachutes may be used. When the walker is to be used, the parachuteharness 3 is attached to the body X of the user while the user is on thebed. The walker main body 1 is then moved to the vicinity of the bed,and the suspension device 2 is rotated in the reverse direction so thatthe chain 2 a of the suspension device 2 is paid out. This chain 2 a isextended over the bed, and a hook 2 b provided at the tip end of thechain 2 a is engaged with a suspension ring 3 a of the parachute harness3 while the parachute harness 3 is still on the bed.

[0023] Then, with the parachute harness 3 attached, the user is seatedon the edge of the bed, and an assistant suspends the user from thewalker main body 1 by causing forward rotation of the suspension device2 either manually or electrically. The assistant then stops the take-upof the chain 2 a of the suspension device 2 at an appropriate height.

[0024] The assistant provides support until the body X of the user ismoved into the interior of the walker main body 1 and is held in astanding position. In this case, it is necessary that the stoppers beengaged with the casters 1 a of the walker main body 1 or that theassistant restrains the walker main body 1 so that the walker main body1 does not move.

[0025] Then, when the user is in a standing position with his bodysuspended from the walker main body 1, the setting of the walker iscompleted. The user walks by treading on the floor surface with hisusable foot so that the walker main body 1 is caused to move.

[0026] In this case, the vertical load that would be applied to bothfeet in the case of normal walking is dispersed among the casters 1 aand is converted into rolling resistance, so that the movement under theuser's own power is possible even by means of an extremely small legforce. The load applied to both feet can be adjusted by means of thesuspension device 2 (which is a winch, for instance), so that functionalrecovery of the paralyzed foot and maintenance of the healthy foot canbe accomplished with an appropriate ground contact pressure.

[0027] The walker of the present invention can be used in anothermanner. After the user puts on the parachute harness 3 in bed, the useris temporarily transferred to a wheelchair and then enters the interiorof the frame of the walker main body 1 together with the wheelchair.Thereafter, the suspension ring 3 a of the parachute harness 3 isengaged with the hook 2 b of the suspension device 2, the user is raisedto an appropriate height by the suspension device 2, and the suspensiondevice 2 is stopped.

[0028] Furthermore, it is possible with the walker of the presentinvention to recover the walking function of a person who is paralyzedon one side (left or right side) of the body. In such a case, the userwears a roller skate on one foot while the user is suspended from thewalker main body 1. By this way, it is possible to accomplish walkingtraining with the frictional force reduced.

[0029] As seen from the above, according to the present invention, sincea parachute harness 3 is used, the body X of the user can be held in astanding position without applying an unreasonable burden by suspendingthe body using this parachute harness 3, even in cases where recovery ofthe walking function is extremely difficult, as in persons who areparalyzed on the left (or right) side of the body. Furthermore, even forpersons who are naturally unable to support their own body weight undertheir own power, the vertical load is converted into rolling resistanceby the casters. Thus, walking training can be accomplished relativelyeasily even with weakened leg force; and the possibility of re-acquiringof the walking function is heightened.

[0030] Furthermore, according to the present invention, walking trainingcan be accomplished relatively easily by suspending the body X of theuser from the walker main body 1 and adjusting the height by thesuspension device 2. In addition, even when the user is walking whilethe user is suspended by the parachute harness 3, the user can trywalking on his own feet. Thus, the desire to walk is heightened,resulting in an extremely high probability of recovering the walkingfunction.

1. A walker that allows walking under the user's own power, comprising awalker main body that is higher than a body height of a user, and aparachute harness suspended via a suspension device from an upper partof said walker main body, a height of said parachute harness beingadjusted by said suspension device.
 2. The walker according to claim 1,wherein said suspension device is a winch that is manually operated. 3.The walker according to claim 1, wherein said suspension device is awinch that is electrically operated.
 4. The walker according to claim 1,wherein said suspension device is a lever hoist that is manuallyoperated.
 5. The walker according to claim 1, wherein said suspensiondevice is a lever hoist that is electrically operated.
 6. A walker inwhich a user wearing a parachute harness is caused to stand and ismaintained in a standing position by a winch from above a head of saiduser, so that a person who is paralyzed on one side is able to walk withone leg, thus allowing free walking.
 7. A walker comprising: a walkermain body that is higher than a body height of a user and has an emptyinterior with casters provide at a bottom of said walker main body, asuspension device installed at a top part of said walker main body sothat a vertical length of said suspension device can be adjusted; and aa parachute harness connected to a lower end of said suspension deviceso that said user wears said parachute harness and is suspended in saidempty interior of said walker main body.